Class blog for Anth 249: Evolution and human disease. We will be responding to class readings and engaging with the wider network of blogs and online content on evolutionary medicine. We might also make up some fun projects along the way.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Obesity and being Active: First Responder

I
really found the articles I found this week really interesting. In the Lee
article it proves that inactivity really does cause diseases or leads to health
problems. In the Pontzer article it described how the Hadza are a
hunter-gatherer population yet they exert the same energy that Americans do,
and it challenges that inactivity leads to such problems as obesity. I do
believe the Pontzer article was a good counter argument but I feel it is
leaving out some major differences. The Hadza are a hunter-gatherer tribe, yes,
but the foods that are eaten between Americans and the Hadza are completely
different. Americans tend to eat more processed foods and sweets and foods that
are just not good for you, whole the hunter-gatherers are eating more natural
forms of food and not foods that are full of sugar. As well as the difference
in technology is also a big factor. Americans have machines, cars, gadgets, and
other items that make their lives easier. Hunter-gatherers have to do much more
manual labor with their food, with cutting the meat, and picking and planting.
All the effort the Hadza put in to their form of living has a lot of physical
activity, possibly more than Americans. Many there is a connection that Pontzer
notices but I feel leaving these things out leads to the downfall in the
argument.

To
me I agree more with Lee. I feel people don’t really try to put exercise or
physical activity into their schedule. But I also feel this is due to the
complexity if stress and all the daily things a person has to do, which leads
me to think id it is even possible to have a really busy schedule, family, and
have time to be active.